Temperature control device and method

A heater for imparting energy to a vessel, the vessel having an internal surface for containing a liquid, the heater comprising:

• a support stand for a burner;
• a system for controlling the rate of flow of a flammable fluid received from a regulator at generally constant pressure, the system including:
• a flow control apparatus, free of a pressure regulator mechanism, for affecting the flow of the fluid, the flow control apparatus being operable between at least a first non-zero flow rate and a second higher flow rate, and having at least one upstream opening and at least one downstream opening;
• a first burner mounted to the support stand, the burner being in fluid communication with the downstream opening of the flow control apparatus, the burner being located for imparting energy to the vessel and for location adjacent an external surface of the vessel;
• a conduit in fluid communication at one end thereof with the upstream opening of the flow control apparatus, and configured at the other end thereof for connection to a fuel supply;
• a thermocouple, located in the vicinity of the vessel, for converting a sensed thermal state into an electrical signal;
• an electronic controller in communication with the flow control apparatus for activating said flow control apparatus to one of said first and second flow rates, and being in communication with the thermocouple for receiving the electrical signal from the thermocouple;
• a microprocessor for controlling operation of the electronic controller including determining between manual and automatic modes of operating the flow control apparatus;
• and
• an interface connected to the controller for manually inputting a desired temperature, wherein the controller is operable to automatically cycle said flow control apparatus between said first and second flow rates until the temperature sensed by the thermocouple is similar to the desired temperature;
• and
• the flow control system is free of a pressure regulator between an upstream end of the conduit and the burner.

A gas fueled fireplace, comprising:

• a fire containment structure;
• a system for controlling the rate of flow of a flammable fluid received from a regulator at generally constant pressure, the system including:
• a flow control apparatus, free of a pressure regulator mechanism, for affecting the flow of the fluid, the flow control apparatus being operable between at least a first non-zero flow rate and a second higher flow rate, and having at least one upstream opening and at least one downstream opening;
• a first burner mounted to the containment structure, the burner being in fluid communication with the downstream opening of the flow control apparatus, the burner being located for imparting energy to the vessel;
• a conduit in fluid communication at one end thereof with the upstream opening of the flow control apparatus, and configured at the other end thereof for connection to a fuel supply;
• a thermocouple, located in the vicinity of the vessel, for converting a sensed thermal state into an electrical signal;
• an electronic controller in communication with the flow control apparatus for activating said flow control apparatus to one of said first and second flow rates, and being in communication with the thermocouple for receiving the electrical signal from the thermocouple, the electronic controller having both automatic and manual modes for controlling the burner;
• a microprocessor for controlling operation of the electronic controller including determining between manual and automatic modes of operating the flow control apparatus;
• and
• an interface connected to the controller for manually inputting a desired temperature, wherein the controller is operable to automatically cycle said flow control apparatus between said first and second flow rates until the temperature sensed by the thermocouple is similar to the desired temperature;
• and
• the flow control system is free of a pressure regulator between an upstream end of the conduit and the burner.